Proof That Tisza Would Instantly Scrap Extra Payments for Pensioners

The 13th- and 14th-month pensions are issues that trigger fierce opposition from Peter Magyar and his circle. If they were to come to power, they would most likely abolish the additional benefits for elderly people as one of their very first measures. In a recent podcast, the secretary of a Tisza Island organization and the campaign manager of a Tisza Party parliamentary candidate described the extra two months of pension as a mere communication trick and even questioned their legitimacy. Similar statements regularly emerge from the Tisza Party's political orbit, which is hardly surprising, given that the Brussels elite backing Peter Magyar also opposes measures that support senior citizens.

Illustration (Source: MTI)

Almost daily, statements emerge from Tisza politicians or experts affiliated with the party that make it clear that, if they were to come to power, they would introduce severe austerity measures and abolish many of the welfare policies implemented by the patriotic government. Peter Magyar and his colleagues appear to find the 13th- and 14th-month pensions rather objectionable, with opposition to the extra benefits for the elderly being perhaps strongest within the Tisza Party.

Calling Legitimacy into Question

Recently, two cadres from the Tisza Party's inner circle engaged in a cynical competition while speaking about the measure designed to support senior citizens, openly questioning its legitimacy. "If we think about this whole 14th or 13th-month pension issue, we can see that it is extremely easy to communicate. You just say 13th or 14th month, and everyone understands what it is about, everyone can easily calculate for themselves what it means for their budgets. But you can also feel that this is just a kind of communication weapon," said Nandor Pinter, secretary of the Tisza Island organization in the district of Kispest, in a recent episode of the Visszaszamlalo podcast (Countdown podcast).

Mockery at the Expense of the Elderly

The host of the program, Zoltan Felegyhazi, voiced similar views: "I fully agree with you, starting from the fact that there is no such thing as a 13th month or a 14th month. This is a simple marketing ploy on the part of Fidesz." Felegyhazi serves as campaign manager for Gabriella Viragh, one of Tisza’s candidates in the capital, and he himself had previously run unsuccessfully for a parliamentary seat in Budapest’s 8th electoral district.

From the words of these two Tisza Party functionaries, it is therefore clear that they regard the extra pension payments as nothing more than a communication trick. This also implies that, once in government, they would have no intention whatsoever of keeping them.

A Gag Order on Candidates

Given that Gabriella Viragh likely represents a similar position on key economic issues as her campaign manager, it is hardly surprising that the leader of Tisza Party does not allow his candidates to campaign meaningfully. Indeed, statements attacking the 13th- and 14th-month pensions have already followed one another from within the Tisza orbit. Among others, Maria Zita Petschnig, an economist affiliated with Tisza, has called for the abolition of the 13th-month pension, while Andras Simonovits, the party's pension expert, previously hailed Gordon Bajnai's government for eliminating the 13th-month pension.

Disruption in the Ranks

These types of statements and admissions are visibly causing serious disruption within the party leadership. In such cases, Peter Magyar is the only figure within the Tisza Party who attempts to explain away the controversy. However, he finds himself in a difficult position, as it is widely known that the Brussels elite backing Tisza also opposes extra benefits for the elderly. Should the moment come, they would put strong pressure on Peter Magyar and his colleagues to phase out the two additional months of pension payments.

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